Audiences want to be inspired in 2020, and who better to take on this role than the pioneers — the innovators! — who have carved their own path to success. Our trailblazing speakers not only share their inspirational climb to the top of their game, but also provide practical tips and takeaways to spark creativity and action, and leave audiences motivated to think outside the box.
The secret behind Colonel Chris Hadfield’s success is an unconventional wisdom he learned at NASA — prepare for the worst, and enjoy every moment of it. Through sharing eye-opening, entertaining stories from his heavily decorated career as an astronaut, engineer, and pilot, Chris explores how conventional wisdom can get in the way of achievement and happiness, and walks audiences through his years of training and space exploration to show how to make the impossible possible.
Chris became a worldwide sensation while commanding the International Space Station for six months off planet — the first Canadian to do so. His YouTube series, sharing insight into the life of an astronaut living in space, infused a sense of wonder into our collective consciousness not felt since humanity first walked on the moon, and his cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” — seen by more than 75 million people — was called “possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created”, by Bowie himself.
Chris brings the marvels of science and space travel to everyone he encounters. His refreshing talks, often infused with songs, tackle topics such as leadership, change management, and motivation, while sharing thrilling tales of his trailblazing career as one of “the most famous astronauts since Neil Armstrong.”
The first female performance consultant for the New York Rangers, the New York Knicks, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Edmonton Oilers, Dr. Kimberley Amirault-Ryan is no stranger to breaking down boundaries. She fully lives by her philosophy of embracing challenges and pushing limitations to reach one’s highest potential, and motivates audiences across the world to do the same in her passionate and practical keynotes.
Kimberley has helped bring home multiple gold medals, working at five Olympic games as a performance consultant and lead of sport psychology with Canada’s gold-medal winning teams, including the women’s hockey team, cross country ski team, and speedskating team.
Having coached and trained some of the world’s top athletes and teams, Kimberley has witnessed what habits and behaviours are required for success. She draws on her own ground-breaking career and anecdotes from her star clients, to motivate and equip audiences with the tools needed for success, whether on the rink or in the boardroom.
Imagine quitting your well-paying, stable government job to start an exciting new business only to find out that your new-found vocation was actually… illegal. When Graham Sherman co-founded Tool Shed Brewing Company, his game plan of simply becoming a craft brewer had to quickly change to disrupting the entire Alberta beer industry.
Now, just seven years later, Tool Shed beer is sold in more than 1000 locations in Western Canada and breaking into the Eastern Canada market. He’s also been nominated for the Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year award and celebrated as one of Avenue magazine’s top “40 under 40”.
In his high-spirited and entertaining talks, Graham shares how he managed to turn the word “no” into a motivator, as he walks audiences through the many ups and downs of his entrepreneurial journey. He empowers audiences to unleash their inner disrupter, reframe obstacles before them as bumps in the road instead of walls, and shows how thinking differently and staying true to yourself can lead to exponential personal and professional growth.
Interested in learning more about our trailblazing speakers? Email us at [email protected].